Keeneland Gross Down 29.7%

Sunday’s session of the Keeneland September yearling sale was similar to Saturday's session in that key indicators were down from last year’s comparable figures.

A total of 229 yearling were sold, 20 fewer than last year’s comparable session. The gross, $2,577,000 was down 29.7% from $3,664,200; the average, $11,253, was down 23.5% from $14,716, and the median price, $8,000, was down 11.1%, from last year's $9,000.

Topping the Sunday list was a $95,000 Graeme Hallcolt (Hip No. 4748) out of the winning Is It True mare Divine Rockette consigned by Gainesway, agent. He was bought by Leighton Brooke Racing. Graeme Hall stands at Winding Oaks Farm near Ocala, Fla.

Two others also topped the $50,000 mark. A full brother (Hip No. 4830) to Canadian grade III winner Skip Code went to Garry Simms, agent for Burr Travis, for $62,000. Named Skipshot, he is by Skip Awayout of stakes winner Heavenly Note (by Sunny’s Halo) and was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Skip Away stands at Rick Trontz’ Hopewell Farm near Midway, Ky.

The top-priced filly (Hip No. 4525) was purchased by River Dyna for $57,000 from the consignment of Beau Lane Bloodstock, agent for Honeysuckle Farm. By Mizzen Mast, who stands at Khaled Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, she is out of the winning Silver Deputy mare Oops. The yearling bears an interesting pedigree in that she is a granddaughter of prominent sire Cozzene and her second dam, grade II winner Movin’ Money, is a half-sister to Cozzene.

Gainesway was the session's leading consigner by gross, its 11 yearlings selling for $235,700. Leighton Brooke Racing was the leading buyer by gross by virtue of the $95,000 purchase of the Graeme Hall colt.

Through Sunday's figures for the entire sale, the overall gross is down 14.6%; the average is down 10.9%, and the median is down 6%.